Highest Paying States for Plumbers (2026): Where UA Journeymen Earn the Most
The highest paying state for plumbers is Illinois at $103,321 average median salary in 2026, based on BLS OEWS data across 52 states and 1688+ metro areas. Plumber pay varies from Puerto Rico ($32,894) to Illinois ($103,321) — driven by UA union scale (NYC Local 1, Boston Local 12), data center / semi fab mega-projects, and pipefitter / steamfitter specialty.
Best States for Plumber Salary: 2026 Rankings
Plumber pay variance is driven by UA (United Association) union scale (Local 1 NYC, Local 12 Boston, Local 38 SF, Local 130 Chicago, Local 78 LA), data center mega-project buildouts, CHIPS Act semi fab construction (ultra-pure water systems), pipefitter / steamfitter / sprinkler-fitter specialty, COL, and state income tax. Illinois leads at $103,321, Puerto Rico sits at $32,894.
Top-Tier States (UA Union Strong)
- New York ($95,000-$160,000) — NYC UA Local 1 + Long Island + suburban premium.
- California ($88,000-$140,000) — SF Bay Area UA Local 38 + LA UA Local 78.
- Massachusetts ($85,000-$132,000) — Boston UA Local 12.
- Illinois ($78,000-$120,000) — Chicago UA Local 130.
- New Jersey ($78,000-$118,000) — NJ UA locals + NYC commuter.
- Alaska ($85,000-$125,000) — chronic shortage + oil/gas + no state income tax.
Mid-Tier Markets
- Hawaii ($82,000-$120,000) — shortage + HCOL.
- Washington ($72,000-$110,000) — Seattle UA Local 26 + no state income tax.
- Connecticut ($72,000-$108,000) — Hartford + Fairfield UA locals.
- Oregon ($68,000-$102,000) — Portland UA Local 290.
- Maryland ($62,000-$95,000) — Baltimore UA Local 5.
- Texas ($58,000-$92,000) — Houston + Dallas + no state income tax + TSMC AZ premium per-diem.
- Arizona ($65,000-$98,000) — Phoenix + TSMC AZ mega-project UA.
Specialty Premium Markets
- Data center plumber (process water + cooling) — premium per-diem + overtime $150,000-$250,000+.
- Semi fab plumber (TSMC AZ, Intel OH, Samsung TX, Micron NY — ultra-pure water) — premium mega-project $180,000-$280,000+.
- Industrial pipefitter (refineries, chemical, power plants) — premium + shutdown OT.
- Steamfitter (boiler, HVAC, industrial) — premium specialty.
- Sprinkler-fitter (fire suppression) — premium specialty.
- Medical gas specialist (hospitals) — premium niche.
- Master plumber + contractor / business owner — equity premium.
- UA Local 1 NYC journeyman — premier scale.
2026 State Ranking Methodology
Rankings reflect 2026 projected median from BLS OEWS 2025. UA union scale + mega-project per-diem + steamfitter / pipefitter specialty materially shift ceiling. Total comp including OT + per-diem often 50-100% above base.
2019 BLS
$55,160
2025 BLS
$63,800
2026 Current Est.
$65,408
2019–2027 Growth
+21.6%
National Average for Context
2019–2025: BLS OEWS actual data. 2026+: CAGR 2.52% projection.
| Year | Median Annual Salary | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $55,160 | Actual |
| 2020 | $56,330 | Actual |
| 2021 | $59,880 | Actual |
| 2022 | $60,090 | Actual |
| 2023 | $61,550 | Actual |
| 2024 | $62,970 | Actual |
| 2025 | $63,800 | Actual |
| 2026(current) | $65,408 | Estimated |
| 2027 | $67,056 | Projected |
Understanding the national salary trend helps contextualize state-level differences. The national median provides a baseline for comparing how each state's plumber pay stacks up.
Note: BLS actual data is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. Estimated and projected values are calculated using a 2.52% historical CAGR. Actual compensation may vary based on employer, experience, certifications, and local market conditions.
Top 10 Highest Paying States for Plumbers
What Drives State-Level Plumber Pay Differences
Five primary factors explain plumber state-level pay variance.
1. UA Union Density (30-40%)
- UA top-metro locals (Local 1 NYC, Local 12 Boston, Local 38 SF, Local 130 Chicago, Local 78 LA) — premier scale.
- Right-to-work states (lower union density) — base.
- Non-union (open shop) — base + flexibility.
- UA pension + benefits — premier long-term.
- Apprentice 5-year structured — top scale at top metros.
2. Mega-Project + Specialty Concentration (20-30%)
- Data center construction (process water + cooling) — premium per-diem.
- Semi fab construction (ultra-pure water systems at TSMC AZ, Intel OH, Samsung TX) — premium mega-project.
- EV battery plant construction — premium emerging.
- Industrial pipefitter (refineries, chemical, power plants) — premium + shutdown OT.
- Steamfitter (boiler, HVAC) — premium specialty.
- Sprinkler-fitter (fire suppression) — premium.
- Medical gas specialist (hospitals) — premium niche.
- Federal (USACE, DoD, VA) — pension + PSLF.
3. Cost of Living (15-25%)
- HCOL markets command premium.
- RPP from BEA — CA 113, MS 86.
- COL-adjusted real income — Texas / Tennessee net often beat California.
4. State Income Tax (5-10% take-home)
- No state income tax — AK, WA, TX, FL, TN, NV, SD, WY, NH.
- High state income tax — CA, NY, OR, NJ, MN, HI.
- NYC + Philadelphia local — additional.
- Property + sales tax — TX tradeoff.
- Per-diem (untaxed) — major on travel.
5. Master License + Contractor Path (10-15%)
- State journeyman license — required.
- State master plumber license (post 2-4 years JW) — premium.
- State contractor license — required for own business.
- Medical gas / NITC cert (hospital) — premium.
- Backflow prevention cert — premium niche.
- Hydronics cert (heat pump / radiant) — premium.
- Steamfitter / pipefitter NITC cert — premium industrial.
Where Do Plumbers Get Paid the Most?
Complete ranking of all 52 states by average plumber salary. Click any state to see city-level breakdowns and detailed data.
| Rank | State | Avg Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Illinois | $103,321 |
| 2 | Minnesota | $100,267 |
| 3 | Oregon | $99,148 |
| 4 | Alaska | $96,168 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $95,089 |
| 6 | Washington | $92,462 |
| 7 | Wisconsin | $87,844 |
| 8 | Michigan | $84,836 |
| 9 | Hawaii | $82,504 |
| 10 | Montana | $81,952 |
| 11 | Rhode Island | $81,187 |
| 12 | Connecticut | $79,554 |
| 13 | Indiana | $79,520 |
| 14 | New York | $78,984 |
| 15 | Iowa | $75,440 |
| 16 | Missouri | $75,201 |
| 17 | California | $74,093 |
| 18 | District of Columbia | $73,671 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $73,568 |
| 20 | Kentucky | $73,204 |
| 21 | Pennsylvania | $72,646 |
| 22 | New Hampshire | $69,190 |
| 23 | Vermont | $68,766 |
| 24 | Louisiana | $67,140 |
| 25 | North Dakota | $65,815 |
| 26 | Maine | $65,403 |
| 27 | Nevada | $65,263 |
| 28 | Kansas | $65,233 |
| 29 | Ohio | $65,208 |
| 30 | Colorado | $64,431 |
| 31 | Maryland | $64,387 |
| 32 | Arizona | $64,292 |
| 33 | Nebraska | $63,942 |
| 34 | Utah | $63,916 |
| 35 | Wyoming | $62,815 |
| 36 | Delaware | $61,965 |
| 37 | Mississippi | $61,862 |
| 38 | West Virginia | $61,791 |
| 39 | Virginia | $61,782 |
| 40 | New Mexico | $61,689 |
| 41 | Texas | $61,320 |
| 42 | Tennessee | $60,362 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $60,350 |
| 44 | Alabama | $59,832 |
| 45 | North Carolina | $58,903 |
| 46 | Georgia | $58,170 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $56,678 |
| 48 | Idaho | $56,178 |
| 49 | Florida | $56,049 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $54,254 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $51,041 |
| 52 | Puerto Rico | $32,894 |
Lowest Paying States for Plumbers
Even the lowest-paying states offer plumber salaries well above the national average for all occupations. Here are the 5 lowest-paying states:
Top Earner Potential by State
The 90th percentile represents what experienced, highly-skilled plumbers earn in each state. These are the 10 states with the highest earning ceilings:
| # | State | Top Earner (P90) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $142,911 |
| 2 | Oregon | $140,572 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $140,035 |
| 4 | New York | $139,718 |
| 5 | California | $130,902 |
| 6 | Illinois | $129,314 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | $127,745 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $123,466 |
| 9 | Wisconsin | $123,175 |
| 10 | Missouri | $121,218 |
How to Move to a Higher-Paying State for Plumber Work
Relocating for plumber pay requires balancing nominal salary against UA union density, mega-project per-diem, state tax, COL, and master license / contractor opportunity.
1. Apply to UA Top-Metro Local
- UA Local 1 NYC (premier) — top scale.
- UA Local 12 Boston — premier.
- UA Local 38 SF Bay Area — premier.
- UA Local 130 Chicago — premier.
- UA Local 78 LA — premier.
- UA 5-year apprenticeship — structured.
- State journeyman + master license — verify per state.
- OSHA 10/30 + NFPA 70E + UPC / IPC code — required.
2. Calculate Real Take-Home, Not Nominal
- COL-adjusted income — Texas UA journeyman at $80,000 may exceed NYC UA at $120,000 net.
- State + local income tax — effective rate.
- Property + sales tax — TX tradeoff.
- Childcare cost spread — major.
- UA pension + benefits — premier long-term.
- Per-diem on travel jobs (untaxed) — major supplemental.
- Overtime + shift differential — major.
- Retiree healthcare for life — premier value.
3. Target Data Center / Semi Fab / Top UA
- Data center construction (process water + cooling, heavy per-diem) — premium.
- Semi fab construction (ultra-pure water at TSMC AZ, Intel OH, Samsung TX, Micron NY) — premium mega-project.
- EV battery plant construction — premium emerging.
- Industrial pipefitter (refineries, chemical, power plants) — premium + shutdown OT.
- UA top-metro local (NYC, Boston, SF, Chicago, LA) — premier scale + pension.
- Steamfitter / sprinkler-fitter specialty — premium.
- Medical gas specialist (hospital) — premium niche.
- Federal (USACE, DoD, VA) — pension + PSLF.
4. Negotiate Per-Diem + Overtime + Specialty
- Per-diem on travel jobs ($100-$200/day untaxed) — major supplemental.
- Heavy overtime (mega-project) — major.
- Shift differential (night, weekend) — premium.
- Specialty pay (medical gas, steamfitter, sprinkler) — premium.
- UA pension + benefits — premier long-term.
- Retiree healthcare for life — premier.
- Shutdown / turnaround OT (refinery) — major supplemental.
- Per-diem housing on long travel — major.
5. Choose Path Based on Career Plan
- UA journeyman + foreman + general foreman — long-term scale.
- Data center / semi fab traveling journeyman — premium per-diem.
- Industrial pipefitter / shutdown OT — premium.
- Steamfitter / sprinkler-fitter specialty — premium.
- Master plumber license — required for contracting.
- State contractor license + own business — premier wealth.
- Federal plumber (pension + PSLF) — long-term.
- Inspector / municipal inspector (late-career) — alternative.
- UA / PHCC instructor (post 15+ years) — alternative.
- UA pension at 30+ years — premier retirement.
More Salary Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
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Written by Samuel Torres, CWP
Career Analyst
Samuel Torres has 10 years of experience in plumbing. He specializes in residential plumbing systems. He has worked with several home improvement companies.
Methodology & Data Source
State salary rankings on this page are 2026 projections based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2026 release. A 2.52% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), derived from 6-year national BLS wage trends, was applied to each state's average salary. Cost-of-living adjustments use BEA Regional Price Parity data. Individual pay varies by city, employer, certifications, and experience.
Data Sources & Methodology
Source: BLS, OEWS , released .
Compiled and verified by Samuel Torres, CWP, a licensed plumber with 10+ years of clinical experience. · View source data at BLS.gov